Yakult Light Probiotic Drink
Published
Yakult Light Probiotic Drink is a small fermented milk drink sold for gut health, with live Shirota bacteria. It scores [F]DB2: nutrition is low and rests on added vitamins, ingredients lose a few points for sweetener and flavourings, and risk is low. Fine as an everyday bottle if you like it, but treat the gut claims with a light touch.
Ingredients, decoded
10 listed- Water
- Sugar
- Skimmed Milk Powder
- Glucose
- Stabilizer (Pectin)
- Sweetener (Steviol Glycoside)
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin D
- Probiotic-Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota
- Contains Natural & Nature Identical Flavours
1 teaspoon of sugar in every 100 ml · 4 g total sugar, 5 g a teaspoon
| Energy | 24 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 0.8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 5 g |
| Total sugars | 4 g |
| Added sugars | 3 g |
| Total fat | 0.1 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 12.5 mg |
| Vitamin E | 3 mg |
| Vitamin D | 3 µg |
Think this score is wrong?
What to know about Yakult Light Probiotic Drink
Live bacteria in a 24 kcal bottle
Yakult Light Probiotic Drink is a fermented milk drink sold in a 325 ml pack of five 65 ml bottles. It is built from water, sugar, skimmed milk powder and glucose, with pectin as a stabiliser, steviol glycoside as a sweetener, added vitamins E and D, natural and nature-identical flavours, and the Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota. People buy it as a daily gut-health habit.
One bottle has 24 kcal, 0.8 g protein, 4 g total sugar (3 g of it added), 0.1 g fat and 12.5 mg sodium. It also carries 3 mg vitamin E and 3 mcg vitamin D, which the pack prints as 30% and 20% of the recommended daily amount. The pack suggests 1 to 2 bottles a day, and no ingredient percentages are declared.
The name says Light, and the front says reduced sugar and calories compared with the original Yakult. Sugar is still the second ingredient and glucose is fourth, so it is lighter, not sugar-free. CleanPlate scores it [F]DB2.
Why Yakult Light Probiotic Drink scores [F]DB2
Nutrition is a D because protein is only 0.8 g per bottle and the vitamins D and E carry the grade. Ingredients are a B, and risk is a 2 because sugar is small.
Low nutrient density
- Protein
- 0.8 g
- Fibre
- Not declared
- Vitamins and minerals
- Vitamin E, Vitamin D
- Energy
- 24 kcal
01 Nutrition density: why D
The core nutrition score is zero: protein is 0.8 g per bottle, mostly from skimmed milk powder, and there is no fibre. The grade comes entirely from the vitamin bonus for 3 mg vitamin E and 3 mcg vitamin D.
Because the vitamin D is added, the nutrition grade would drop one step to an E without it.
Scored on protein, fibre and twelve vitamins and minerals, against the Codex and FSSAI "source" and "high" levels, per 100 g and per 100 kcal. Protein also has to supply at least 12.5% of the calories to count, and 25% for full credit.
Good, few concerning additives
- Base
- Water
- Sweeteners
- Sugar, Glucose
- Additives
- 2
- Flagged
- None
02 Ingredient integrity: why B
The list is short and mostly simple: water, sugar, skimmed milk powder, glucose, and the probiotic strain. Nothing is hydrogenated and no colour is listed. No preservative is listed either.
Three additives cost ingredient points: the nature-identical flavourings, the steviol glycoside sweetener (960) and the pectin stabiliser (440). The flavourings and sweetener cost the most. No ingredient percentages are declared.
Scored on how processed the ingredients are, which additives are used and why, and whether the label keeps its promises.
Low risk
- Added sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 12.5 mg
03 Load risk: why 2
Sugar makes up nearly all of the risk number. The pack declares 3 g added sugar per 65 ml bottle, from sugar and glucose.
Sodium is very small at 12.5 mg per bottle, and there is no saturated or trans fat declared, with 0.1 g total fat. Energy at 24 kcal adds nothing to the risk.
Scored on free sugar, sodium, saturated fat and trans fat, each weighed by how strong the evidence of harm is.
[F] Added vitamins or minerals meaningfully lift this product's nutrition grade. Without them it would score lower.
Red flags
No major red flags on the label.
Green flags
- +Green flag: Low sodium
Does Yakult Light Probiotic Drink live up to its claims?
The added vitamins and the bacteria count hold as printed. The reduced-sugar claim is true but framed against the original, and the digestion and immunity claims cannot be checked from the label.
- On the packBe careful
“Reduced Sugar & Calories compared with Yakult”
The claim is measured against the original drink, and no figure for it is on the pack. This bottle still has 3 g added sugar, with sugar second and glucose fourth in the list.
- On the packHolds
“Added Vitamins D & E”
Both are listed, at 3 mg vitamin E (30% of the daily amount) and 3 mcg vitamin D (20%) per bottle.
- On the packHolds
“650 Crore CFU Per Bottle”
The count is printed on the pack and is well above the 100 million CFU a day the pack quotes as the FSSAI minimum. It is a maker's figure that a label cannot confirm.
- On the packBe careful
“Proven to help improve digestion & build immunity”
The pack cites FSSAI approval and its own strain research, but the label gives no figures for the size of the effect, so it cannot be checked here.
- Retail listingBe careful
“Retailer nutrition figures”
The retailer page shows 36.9 kcal and 6.1 g total sugar per 100 ml, while the pack shows 24 kcal and 4 g per 65 ml bottle. The figures are on different bases, and the pack's per-bottle values are used here.
What's in Yakult Light Probiotic Drink?
Water, sugar, skimmed milk powder and glucose lead the list. Watch the two sugars, the sweetener and the flavourings; the vitamins and the probiotic strain are the real additions.
The ingredient list, read for you
Water leads, then sugar, skimmed milk powder and glucose, so the drink is a sweetened, diluted milk base. Pectin keeps it smooth, and steviol glycoside lets the sugar be cut. Vitamins E and D are added, and the Shirota strain is the live culture. Natural and nature-identical flavours finish the list.
Ingredients to watch
- Little nutrition beyond the vitaminsConcern
Protein is 0.8 g per bottle and there is no fibre, so the nutrition grade depends on the added vitamins D and E.
- Sugar and glucoseWorth watching
Two sugars in the first four ingredients, with 3 g added sugar per bottle. It is small per bottle but doubles at two bottles a day.
- Steviol glycoside and flavouringsWorth watching
The sweetener (960) and the nature-identical flavourings cost ingredient points. Pectin (440) costs a little less.
- Live Shirota bacteriaFine
The pack declares 650 crore CFU per bottle, with no preservatives listed.
- Sodium and fatFine
12.5 mg sodium and 0.1 g fat per bottle, with 24 kcal.
What it doesn’t have
- No percentages are declared for any ingredient, including the milk powder.
- No fibre, and no lactose amount is stated.
Who should eat Yakult Light Probiotic Drink?
Fine every day for most adults at one bottle. Children are better with it a few times a week, and anyone with lactose intolerance should check with a doctor.
- Most adultsEveryday
24 kcal and 3 g added sugar per bottle, at the pack's 1 to 2 bottles.
- ChildrenA few times a week
It has a sweetener and 3 g added sugar in a small bottle.
- Heart healthEveryday
12.5 mg sodium and 0.1 g fat per bottle.
- Lactose intoleranceCheck with your doctor
It is made with skimmed milk powder, and the lactose amount is not declared.
Yakult Light Probiotic Drink: common questions
What is the CleanPlate score of Yakult Light Probiotic Drink?
Yakult Light Probiotic Drink is a small fermented milk drink sold for gut health, with live Shirota bacteria. It scores [F]DB2: nutrition is low and rests on added vitamins, ingredients lose a few points for sweetener and flavourings, and risk is low. Fine as an everyday bottle if you like it, but treat the gut claims with a light touch. Nutrition D, ingredients B, load risk 2; nutrition and ingredients run A to E, risk runs 1 to 5, and A and 1 are best.
How many calories and how much protein are in Yakult Light Probiotic Drink?
Per 100 ml, Yakult Light Probiotic Drink has 24 kcal, 0.8 g protein, 5 g carbohydrate, 0.1 g fat and 3 g added sugar. One serve (1 bottle, 65 ml) has 16 kcal and 0.5 g protein.
What are the ingredients in Yakult Light Probiotic Drink?
10 ingredients, in label order: Water, Sugar, Skimmed Milk Powder, Glucose, Stabilizer (Pectin), Sweetener (Steviol Glycoside), Vitamin E, Vitamin D, Probiotic-Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota, Contains Natural & Nature Identical Flavours.
Does Yakult Light Probiotic Drink live up to its claims?
5 claims checked: 2 hold, 3 need care. "Reduced Sugar & Calories compared with Yakult" needs care: The claim is measured against the original drink, and no figure for it is on the pack. This bottle still has 3 g added sugar, with sugar second and glucose fourth in the list. "Proven to help improve digestion & build immunity" needs care: The pack cites FSSAI approval and its own strain research, but the label gives no figures for the size of the effect, so it cannot be checked here.
Who should limit Yakult Light Probiotic Drink?
Most adults: everyday. 24 kcal and 3 g added sugar per bottle, at the pack's 1 to 2 bottles. Children: a few times a week. It has a sweetener and 3 g added sugar in a small bottle. Heart health: everyday. 12.5 mg sodium and 0.1 g fat per bottle.
How much sugar, salt and saturated fat does Yakult Light Probiotic Drink have?
Per 100 ml, Yakult Light Probiotic Drink has 3 g added sugar and 13 mg sodium (about 0 g salt). The FSSAI and UK FSA "high" lines are 5 g added sugar, 300 mg sodium and 2.5 g saturated fat per 100 ml. It is under all three lines.
Last reviewed October 29, 2026. Scored with the CleanPlate method from the published label. Spotted a mistake? .
Label read on 29 October 2026, from photos of the pack. If the pack has changed since, tell us.
Score history (1)
| Date | Score | Method | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 October 2026 | DB2 | v5.0 | First scored |
Every change to this score is logged. See corrections and the method changelog.
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